Pipe-flange protector



June 19, 1923. 1,459,126

. E. WIDIGER PIPE FLANGE PROTECTOR Filed Sept. 8, 1922 Patented June 19, 1923.

meant earner crates.

' EMANUEL WIDIGEB, OF I-IAJVIMOND, INDIANA.

PIPE-FLANGE PROTECTOR.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL Wrnrcnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Flange Protectors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, forming a part of this specification.

.his invention relates to pipe flange protectors, and particularly to pipe flange protectors which may be manufactured as a complete device at a central point, and which may be readily and quickly applied to pipe flanges by the ordinary workman.

One of the features 'of the invention resides in the provision of curved, substantially channel-shaped members which may be quickly secured about the flanges of pipes by simple and easily operable securing Another feature of the invention is" the manner of securing the lining of asbestos, or other suitable material, within the protector.

A still further feature of theinvention re- 7 sides in the unique method of forming the protector.

Other features and advantages will appear as the description of the'invention progresses.

Generally stated, the device of the present invention consists of two substantially semi-' circular channel-shaped members formed of sheet metal, means being provided by which, after the devices have been placedabout the flange of a pipe, the abutting or overlapping ends may be quickly and firmly secured together.

It has been customary for a longtime to cover the sections of steam pipes or pipes conveying hot'water with sleeves formed of asbestos or other suitable heat insulating material. On account of the difiiculty, however, of wrappingthe flanges which occur between the sections of pipe, ordinarily no 8, 1922. Serial No. 586,879.

ably protected. Applicants invention providesa protector which may be quickly and easily applied to pipe flanges, and which Wlll act to suitably insulate them and pre vent the loss of heat therefrom.

It is believed the details-of the invention will be bestunderstood by a description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Flgure l is a longitudinal section through the flange at the abutting ends of two sect ons of'pipe, showing the protector in position thereon;

Figure 2 isa side view of two adjacent ends of the protector; I

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the two parts of the protector clamped together as Ehey would be when positioned about a pipe Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the metal portion of the protector is formed, showing the asbestos lining in p0 sition thereon;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but shows the rebent flange at the edge of theblank;

Figure 6 is a side view of the blank after the sides thereof have been turned atright angles to form a channel-like member;

Figure 7 shows a channel shaped mem ber, such as illustrated in Figure 6, with the corrugations formed therein at one end, as is done in giving the device its semicircular shape, and

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view through one edge of one of the devices, showing the side flange of the protector with its rebent edge and the asbestos lining within the metalshell.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, '10--l0 indicates adjacent sections of pipe provided with the clamping flanges 11 secured together by means of the bolts 12. The protector consists of two like substantially semi-circular members 13 (see Figure 8). In cross section, each of these members 13 consists of a web portion 14 and the side flanges 15, each of which has a rebent edge 16. Positioned within each of the channel-shaped members is a sheet 17 of asbestos or other suitable insulating material.

Extending about the outer circumference of each of the halves and adjacent to the outer edge thereof is a sheet metal strap 18, to one end of which is secured-the wire loop l9, the other end of thest'rap 18 being arranged to extend freely beyond. the

edge of the section of the protector.-

cated in F igure 3-;

desired, the free end of the strap 18 may be rebent, as indicated at 20. The edges of the asbestos lining strip 17 will preferably 1 be positioned under the r'ebent portions 16 at the edgesof the channels. If desired,the asbestos strip 17 may be secured to the web 14 of the protector shell, by meansof the split rivets 21. w y I As above explained, the I twohalves of the protector are substantially alike, and in positioning the protector about the pi e coupling or flange, as indicated in Figurezl, the two halves are p1acedto'gether,fas.in dicated in Figure 3, the free ends of the straps 18 being inserted through the loops 19- and rebent as shown inFigure 'tft'hns permitting the protector to be tummy and securely fastened in position. The asbestos lining 17 will ordinarily terminate slightly short of one end of the metal she11.;' T-hs side flanges 16 atth'e opposite end of the metal shell will be cut off or beveled, as indicatedat 22. In placing the two halves of the protector together, the end of the protector having the beveled flange will referably be "sli htly inserted *tvith'in the opposite end of the other half of the pro, tector. This arrangement is clearly indir In applying the protector about a ipe flange, the edges of the flanges 16 are preferably brought firmly into, engagement with the asbestos cov ring 23 which is ordinarily positioned about the pipe sections between the flanges. When thus'apphed, the .protector makes a comparatively tight fittihf'g about the flange, and thslini'ng 17 of as bestos or other material, together with the air spaces between the protector and portions'of the flange, act to prevent the escape. of heat by radiation from the ipe flange.

If desired, further packing material at bestos or other substancemay be inserted about the flange within the protector in er:

der to provide more perfect insi-ilation;

Th method of form'ing the protector win now be. described. The sheet metal from which the protector shellis formedis' indicated at A in Figure 4. Upon the 'she'et A is placed the asbestos lining 17. The edges ofthe sheet A are then returned, 'as 'indi-- c'at'e'd in Figure 5, toform the'flanges 1e, ;the flanges 16 being arranged toloosely overlap I the edges ofthe sheet 17. The cuter edges of the device, as illustrated in Figure 5, are next pressed intoa position at right angles to the body of the shell,. as indicated in Figure 6, thus forming the side flanges 15'.

After the beveled portions 22 are formed, the flanges 15 are run between pairs of '06- operating cone gears. The pairs of gears have-their teeth so arranged that they form the corrugations 24 in the flanges 16. The

corrugations 24: are arranged so that at'the edges of the flanges 16'the corrugations are rather deep and taper out at a point adja-. cen't to, the Web 14 of the shell. By, this corrugating process, the edgesof the asbestos lining-1:1? are firmly secured within the flanges 15, and also the blank iscaused to,

assume a substantially semi-circular form.

Atjleast 'on epair' of the split rivets 21 will be placed in position before the crimping If desired, the

and 'corrugatin'g process.

rivets need not necessarily be ,inserted until after the device'is formed. As a matterof fact, it is not necessary that more than a single pair of rivetsal be' mployed,

although the additional rivets act to more securelyhold the lining within the t en; The

rivets which are employed to hold the lining 17 in position'niay also be us'edto secure the straps 18 to the circumference of the shell.

The {Pipe flane pf dtectdr abotedescribed maybe readily adapted for use in insulating the flanges cit ate]? ofr, refrig rating pipe In preparing the protector for use with pipes of t'his charactenysome material such as tar'red paper or felt impregnateditvith anasphalting compound should be usedas a lining. I, g I e Although it is generauy preferable that the lining be: lined Within the sheet metal shell, in certain instances it may be found des rable toloosely insert the lining.

While in the above description, applicant has disclosed but a single set of details which he considers the p-referred embodiment of his invention, it is to be understood that he contemplates various modifications, and the scope of the invention should,therefore, be limited merely by the appended claims,

Having now described the invention,- what.

-metal jacket-lying around and against said lining, said jacket having web and-flange portions corresponding tothose of the lin ing, the edges of the flanges of the said metal' jacket beingrebent inwardly over thetedges of the saidaflanges of the lining-each lining flange and its associated jacket flange being i c'ri-mpedi 'togeth'erby substantially radial 'corr gstion's. Y I i 2'. A pipe flange protector and insulator comprising in combination a pairof arcuate members and means forhold-ingsaidmembers together in the form efa n annulus en'- circling a pair of attached pipe flanges, each the said flanges of the channel of sheet in- 20 of said members comprising an arcuate web sulation, turning each side flange of the 01'' sheet metal provided at its edges with integral inwardly bent and radially corrugated flanges, and a lining of sheet insulation lying within and against said web and having integral flange portions lying within and against the metal flanges and likewise corrugated, the edges of said metal flanges being rebent inwardly around the edges of said insulation flanges.

3. The method of forming a pipe flange protector and insulator which consists in providing a substantially straight channelshaped member of sheet insulation with a substantially straight metal sheath of channel shape which snugly receives said channel of sheet insulation, and which has side flanges of substantially greater width than metal channel to lie over and inside of the adjacent flange of the channel of sheet insulation and then giving the composite structure thus formed a substantially semi-circular shape, and simultaneously firmly securing the metal and sheet insulation together,

by forming interlocking corrugations in each flange of the insulation channel and the metal which lies on opposite sides of said flange.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of September, 1922.

EMANUEL WIDIGER. Witnesses:

DAGM R PETERSON, ALICE W. BERTONOINI. 

